Supporting device for dropcloths



Oct. 9, 1951 A. HUDOBA 2,570,555

SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR DROP CLOTHS Filed March 29. 1949 IN V EN TOR. Anfholvy fluaaba.

lax WW l9 ORA/EX Patented Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE2,570,555 sorron'rmo DEVICE FOR DROPOLOTHS Anthony Hudoba, Struthers,Ohio Application March 29, 1949, Serial No. 84,100

This invention relates to supporting devices and more particularly toa'supporting device attachable to a ladder-and serving to hold a dropcloth beneath an area to be painted.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a supportdevice for drop cloths.

A further object of the invention is the pro vision of a lightweight,inexpensive support device for drop cloths.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a supportdevice for drop cloths providing a relatively large supporting area, thesize and shape of which may be varied as desired.

The support device for drop cloths disclosed herein comprises a simpleand inexpensive rectangular bracket adapted to be secured to a leg of astepladder or other ladder in any desired position with respect to theside, back or front thereof and to carry a plurality of lightweight rodsover which a drop cloth may be positioned to protect a floor or wallarea from paint accidentally dropped as in carrying out a paintingoperation thereabove.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds,

the invention resides in the combination and" arrangement of parts andin the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, itbeing understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the inventionherein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of a stepladder showing the drop clothsupporting device secured thereto.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the drop cloth supporting device withparts broken away.

By referring to the drawings and Figure 1 in particular it will be seenthat a stepladder including front legs I having steps ll securedtherebetween is shown in open position supporting a drop clothsupporting device [2 thereon. The drop cloth supporting device (as maybest be seen by referring to Figure 2 of the drawings) comprises agenerally rectangular body member having a plurality of openings [3 inoppositely disposed relation in its sides and a plurality of oppositelydisposed openings may be formed in its end sections, if desired.

The rectangular body member of the support device [2 is preferablyformed of a section of strip material bent in the form of a U, the ends2 Claims. (CL 211--86) of which are indicated by the numerals f5" andI6, respectively. The open end of the U is' closed by an extension ISAformed in a circle and doubled back upon-the section side of the supportdevice I2, the portion of the extension 16A registering with the side ofthe support device l2 being indicated by the numeral I6B. A transversemember 24 with bent ends 25 and 26 is positioned between the sides ofthe rectangular body [2 and connected thereto as by welding or brazing.The transverse member 24 is spaced inwardly with respect to the ends ofthe rectangular body member l2 and may be provided with openings [4 inoppositely disposed relation to the openings l3 in the end section ofthe device if desired. Openings I'il1 are formed in the side of thesupport device I2 and in the end [6B and a bolt and nut assembly l8positioned therethrough so that a clamping action may be imparted to thecircular portion of the extension [6A as about a paint can, shown indotted lines and indicated by the numeral [9.

Two pairs of oppositely disposed openings 20 and 2|, respectively, arepositioned between a portion of the extension ISA and the opposite sideof the rectangular body member [2 and adjacent the end I5 thereof and apair of bolt and nut assemblies 22-22 are positioned therethrough sothat the device may be clamped about the leg l0 of the stepladder asshown in Figure 1 of the drawings. The leg is positioned between thebolts 22-22 and the end l5 and the extension [6A, respectively. It willbe seen that the tightening of the bolts 22-22 will support the deviceon the stepladder when the nuts thereon are tightened.

A plurality of rods 23 are positioned transversely of the device throughthe openings Iii-l3 so that a drop cloth may be positioned over therelatively wide area of the device and thereby provide protectionagainst the dropping of paint or other material on the area covered.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the device may besecured to either side of any one of the legs of the stepladder shown inFigure 1 or on the front, back or sides of any other ladder and that therods 23 may be of any desired length so that any given areas may becovered.

It will also be seen that the device provides a simple and convenientsupport means for a paint can and thereby provides a combinationparticularly desirable and useful in connection with in. teriordecorating.

It will thus be seen that the several objects 01 the invention are metby the supporting device for drop cloths disclosed herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A drop cloth support comprising a rectangular body member having apair of parallel spaced extensions formed on one end thereof forengagement about a supporting object and means positioned between theextensions for urging thesame together so as to secure the device to thesaid supporting object, the said rectangular body member having aplurality of oppositely disposed openings therein and a plurality ofrods removably positioned in said openings to form a drop clothsupporting platform.

2. A drop cloth support comprising a rectang ular body member having apair of spaced parallel extensions formed on one end thereof forengagement about a supporting object, the other end having severalopenings therein, means positioned 7 between the extensions for urgingthe same together so as to secure the device to the said supportingobject, the sides of the said rectangular body member having a pluralityof oppositely disposed openings and a plurality of rods removablypositioned in said openings to form a drop cloth supporting platform, atransverse member spanning said rectangular body midway between its endsand having openings therein in longitudinal alignment with the saidopenings in the said other end so that the said removable rods may bepositioned in the device crossways.

ANTHONY HUDOBA.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED "STATES PATENTS Stevens June 9, 1936

